Mobile sprinkler



y 8, 1956 A. J. LUNDEGREEN 2,744,785

MOBILE SPRINKLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 13, 1953 INVENTOR. wea -3:. BY W Alma J. Lundegreen y 8, 1956 A. J. LUNDEGREEN 2,744,785

MOBILE SPRINKLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 15, 1953 Alma J. L undegreen INVENTOR.

BY Ammqs [EDI S E-n IEII EFL? United States Patent 2,744,785 MOBILE SPRINKLER Alma J. Lundegreen, Amarillo, Tex. j Application July 13, 1953, set-n1 No. 367,605

3 Claims. (Cl. 299-52) This invention relates generally to,.,improvements in sprinkling machines and has for its primary object the.

provision of an improved form of sprinkler which incorporates a minimum number of parts and which is yet fully effective to operate in a rapid and eflicient manner.

H Another object of this invention resides in the provision of an improved form of sprinkling machine which is extremely mobile and which incorporates the novel manner of supplying water thereto for continuous sprinkling or irrigating operations.

Still another object of thisin'vention .is to provide an improved form of sprinkling machine which incorporates novel guide and balancing means for directing the nozzles ofthe machine in the most advantageous position during use.

These together with other objects and advantages which willbecome subsequently apparent reside'in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a machine constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 4-4 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is another enlarged vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 5-5 of Figure 1 showing the balance or guide means.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral indicates generally a section of pipe which is closed at both ends and which is provided at longitudinally spaced points therealong with the nozzle members 12 and 14 which extend slightly downwardly at opposite sides of the pipe to direct water issuing therefrom toward the ground surface in the area surrounding the pipe. The generally U-shaped bracket members 16 are provided at spaced intervals along the pipe in depending relation thereto with their bight portions rigidly secured to the pipe and with their laterally bent free ends 18 secured to the spacer sleeves 20 between which the ground engaging wheels 22 are positioned. A continuous axle 24 extends through the central hub portion ofeach of the wheels 22 and through the sleeves 20.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 5, it will be seen that a pair of divergent, depending brace members 26 are disposed at longitudinally spaced points along the pipe 10 and that the free ends of these members are rigidly secured to the elongated balance plate 28 which extends transversely of the pipe therebelow. The opposite ends of the balance member are upturned as indicated by the reference character 30 and these ends of the member are boxed in by the generally U-shaped members 2,744,785 Patented May ,8, 1956 32 which are rigidly secured to the upper surface thereof assembly will be presently apparent.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 3 and 4,

reference numeral 36 indicates generally the supporting platform rigidly secured to the pipe member 10 and providedat opposite lateral sides thereof with the depending brace members 38 terminating at their lower ends into the bearing portions 40 rotatablyreceiving the axle 24. This platform receives the internal combustion engine assembly 42 whose drive shaft is coupled through the suitable clutch mechanismv (not shown) controlled by the ;lever 44 to the pulley member 46 which is located directly above another pulley 48 secured to the axle member 24 with the endless belt 50 extending therebetween so as-to impart rotation of the driven pulley 48 in response to rotation of the pulley 46. This will, in turn, effect rotation of the axle 24 and the wheel members 22 which :character 52 which includes the inlet coupling member 54 and the outl'etcoupling member 56. The inlet mem- I are suitably feathered thereto so as to move the assembly over the ground surface as will be readily apparent.

The other end of the engine crank shaft is coupled to the pump assembly indicated generally by the reference ber '54 is suitably secured to'one' end of the flexible conduit 58 which depends fromthe machine and is provided at its free-end With the strainer'ass'embly 60 which is ;adapted to be receivedwithin a ditch 62'Which the masupply water to the pump assembly 52.

chine straddles, it being appreciated that the ditch is to be partially or wholly filled with irrigating water so that the submerged free end of the inlet conduit 58 will The outlet 56 of the pump is connected through a suitable coupling element 64 to the pipe member 10 to supply water under pressure thereto which will be expressed therefrom through the nozzle members 12 and 14 previously described.

During operation of the sprinkler machine, the same is placed in straddling relation to the ditch 62 as previously described so that the inlet conduit 58 may supply water to the pump mechanism 52 and the engine assembly 42 is started and the clutch lever 44 thrown in the direction to engage the clutch to drive the wheels 22, thus moving the assembly over the ground. At the same time, water entering the pipe 10 will be expressed outwardly therefrom through the nozzles 12 and 14. The drive reaction between the pulley 46 and the pulley 48 of the axle 24 will effect a positioning of the assembly as shown in Figure 3 with the direction of the movement to the right in this figure so that the spray or water stream issuing from the forward nozzles 12 will be thrown forwardly of the machine to provide an initial wetting action of the ground surface in advance of the same while the rearward nozzles 14 issue Water more directly upon the ground surface immediately behind the machine. This positioning of the machine is extremely important and beneficial inasmuch as the direction of inclination of the rearward nozzles will effect a most advantageous penetration of the water into the ground surface, it being apparent that the surface thus treated will have been initially wetted by the action of the forward nozzles 12.

Due to the fact that the machine is completely independent insofar as inlet water lines are concerned, the machine may be operated over great lengths of a field without the trouble and expense of an extremely long supply line thereto as is conventionally required, it being merely necessary that the ditch 62 be provided throughout the entire length of the ground surface to be irrigated. I

It will be apparent that the direction of drive of the assembly may be easily reversed by providing suitable means (not shown) for elfecting this result whereupon'the balance assembly will be reversedin position asshown in Figures?) and 4 to tilt the machine'in the oppositedirection for a reversal'of movement on'the return'trip tothe initial or starting position of theassernbly.

From the foregoing, the construction" and operation of the device will be readily'understood'and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However,,since numerous modifications and changes will" readily occurto those-skilledin the-art, it is not desiredto limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within" the scope of the said pipeis disposed in vertically inclined relation to said axle so that the nozzles at one side of said pipe direct liquid over a greater surface area than the nozzles at the other side of the pipe, and means for rotating saidwheels and supplying liquid under pressurecto said pipe.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said meanslfor rotating said wheels and supplying liquid under pressure tosaid pipeincludes an internal combustion engine mounted on said pipe, a pump connected to said engine, an outlet line connecting said pump to said pipe, and a flexible inlet line depending from said pump having an end portion adapted to be received in a water supply trench.

3. A sprinkling machine comprising an elongated pipe having a plurality ofdischarge-openings at opposite sides thereof, means for movabl'y supporting said pipe in spaced relation to the ground surface, saidmeansaihcluding a plurality ofcwheelssecured to said pipe for rotation about a common axis, means for supplying liquid under pressure to said pipe, meansifori driving, said wheels, and a balance member rigidly secured to said pipe and projecting laterally from opposite sides thereof, said balance member having ground engaging opposite end portions, said opposite end portions and the point of contact of said wheelswith the ground defining the apices of a triangle, whereby one of said end portions will engagethe ground upon movement of the'rna'chine in one direction and the other'of said end portions'will engagethe ground upon movement'of the machine in the opposite direction, such that the discharge openings in the pipe are posi-. tioned in response to the direction of movement of the machine to directliquid well in advance ofthe machine as well-as in the area immediately behind the machine.

References. Cited inth'e file of this patent- UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,516,711 Mansur. July 25, 1950. 2,574,634 Frarnpton Nov. 13, 1951 2,628,863 Maggart Feb. 17,1953 2,665,941

Idler Jan. 12, 1954 

